The French government officially notified the Israeli Ministry of Defense this evening (Monday) of its decision to ban the State of Israel's official participation in the prestigious EUROSATORY arms and security exhibition, which is scheduled to take place later this month in Paris.
As a result of this decision, the Ministry of Defense will not be able to take part in the international event and will be prevented from setting up the Israeli national pavilion, which is traditionally considered one of the main attractions at the exhibition.
The French sanctions include three main decrees: a ban on government representatives participating in the exhibition, a ban on opening an Israeli national pavilion, and a ban on Israeli defense industries - such as Elbit, Rafael, and Israel Aerospace Industries - from exhibiting offensive weapons, but only air defense products.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
This is unequal compared to other industries in the world and contrary to the norms accepted at international exhibitions.
The Defense Ministry reacted with unusual fury and harshness to the announcement from Paris, defining it as a capitulation to political pressures and anti-Israeli motives. "This is a shameful decision that reeks heavily of political and commercial considerations, and unfortunately, it is not surprising. This decision is disturbingly consistent with a consistent trend in French behavior in recent years, which has repeatedly placed France on the wrong side of history.".
The defense establishment has stung the French government and accused it of hypocrisy and of attempting to harm leading competitors in the global arms market: "France, which prides itself on the values of freedom and democracy, is acting in complete contradiction to the values it claims to represent. It is supposedly covering itself up with a fake political consideration in order to exclude Israeli offensive weapons, the quality of which is immeasurably better than French ones, from an international exhibition.".
""This, after Israeli technologies demonstrated exceptional performance in precision and effectiveness against terrorist organizations and regimes that threaten not only Israel, but the entire regional and global stability.".
